take hold

idiomatic phrase

1

: to grasp, grip, or seize something

took hold and hung on tight

—often used with of

take hold of the railing

… she took hold of his arm with both her hands, and looked up eagerly—oh, with such terrible eagerness!—into his face.

—Anthony Trollope

—often used figuratively

As word of the subpoenas spread … confusion and hysteria took hold of the social set …

—Bob Colacello

I did not want Merlin to retire from the job until I was ready to take hold of it effectively myself …

—Mark Twain

2

: to become effective, established, or popular

The change in the law has not yet taken hold.

… a swath of land that has been spared from lava flows long enough that rich vegetation has had a chance to take hold.

—G. Brad Lewis

… here in central California the French aesthetic has recently taken hold.

—Rebecca Coffey

Examples of take hold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While inflation is well off highs reached in mid-2022, retail prices are still about 20% higher in most spending categories since runaway inflation took hold. —Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

Yes, but: Groups like the Knight Foundation see reasons for hope as newer journalism outlets take hold — some of which are increasingly funded by philanthropy. —Jason Clayworth, Axios, 24 Sep. 2024

Jefferies downgrades Starbucks to underperform from hold Jefferies said the Starbucks CEO change will take time to take hold. —Michael Bloom, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2024

Moist, soggy grass and moderate temperatures create the ideal environment for disease to take hold. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1